Automatic closure device for an enclosure



Jan. 28, 1958 D. B. KAUFMAN AUTOMATIC CLOSURE DEVICE FOR AN ENCLOSURE Filed June 10, 1954 United States Patent AUTOMATIC CLOSURE DEVICE FOR AN ENCLOSURE David B. Kaufman, Los Angeles, Calif. Application June 10, 1954, Serial No. 435,676

2 Claims. (Cl. 312-438) This invention relates to improvements in cabinets (or other enclosures) having a closure device including a movable panel door, or a plurality of movable panel doors, to provide access thereinto, or more particularly, to cabinets having a closure device including movable panel doors to provide access thereinto; said panel doors being automatically locked in their closed position.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cabinet with closure panel means of an automatic latching type.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cabinet with an automatic closure device, said closure device being pressurably retained in closed position and being capable of being moved into open and/ or closed position by applying pressure thereto.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an economically constructed and easily operable automatic closure device; said closure device being pressurably retained in closed position and being capable of being moved into open and/or closed position by applying pressure thereto.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of one illustrative form of cabinet of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cabinet taken on line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view of one of the doors of the cabinet of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial section taken on line IVIV of Fig. l, and shows only the portion of the cabinet bottom having longitudinal grooves in which slidable doors are mounted;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a partial section taken on line VIVI of Fig. 1 showing only the portion of the cabinet top having longitudinal grooves in which slidable doors are mounted;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectiona1 view taken along line VII- VII of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 5, but showing additional features for holding a sliding door in its closed position.

In illustrating one embodiment of this invention, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a cabinet comprising a body member having a top wall part 10 and bottom wall part 11, both of which are of the same general construction and having differences later described, a back wall part 12, and a pair of similar side wall parts 13 and 14, said wall parts being interconnected as shown to form a chamber or region in which desired items may be stored or placed. It is to be understood that the cabinet chamber may additionally include, if desired, partitioning or shelf parts to divide the cabinet chamber in order to conveniently store therein small items.

Within the opening formed between top wall part 10 and bottom wall part 11, and between the pair of side wall parts 13 and 14, is seen a closure device including a pair of sliding doors 15 and 16 for closing the opening of said chamber and for opening same to provide access thereinto. Each door or panel is provided with a holding device 17 which may be a knob, handle, or other suitable part to provide a support for applying pressure to move or slide the door or panel.

The top wall part 10 has a longitudinal groove or cutout 18 on the inside of the cabinet chamber and adjacent to the opening of the closure device formed by the walls of the body member. The longitudinal groove is shaped to hold the edges of sliding doors 15 and 16 and provide a guide-way for the doors. Similarly, bottom wall part 11 has a longitudinal groove 19 to provide a guide-way for the bottom edges of doors or panels 15 and 16. Within guide-ways 18 and 19, the doors or panels 15 and 16 may slide when pressure is applied to holding means 17 in order to close or open the doors. Instead of cut-outs in the top and bottom wall parts, the longitudinal grooves may be formed by raised portions, slats connected to the inner edge of the top and bottom walls, or any other means known to the art of forming a groove to retain sliding doors.

Thus far what has been described is old in the art of cabinet or display case construction and provides for a body member having a region or chamber to place desired items, and sliding doors for access thereinto or to close the opening of the chamber. Moreover, it would be obvious to make the panels or doors of glass, Lucite, or other transparent nonfrangible material to enable the items in the chamber to be seen, or to make any of the Walls of transparent material to enable items therein to be seen. Also, instead of two doors or panels, any desired number of doors may be installed in suitable guide-ways or longitudinal grooves for providing access to the region or chamber.

The feature of this invention lies in the mode of construction of the aforementioned elements of the cabinet and the additional elements hereinafter described which enable the doors of the cabinet to be automatically locked in their closed position and to be easily opened.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is shown a front view of door or panel 16. Panel 16 is shown to have a slidable member or projection 20 which is suitably shaped to easily slide in longitudinal groove 19. Projection 23 may be an extension of panel 16, an added piece thereto, or may be a roller such as a small wheel (or the like) suitably mounted to easily slide in longitudinal groove 19. Panel 15 is similar to panel 16.

As seen in Figs. 4 and 5, cut-outs are made in wall part 11 to form longitudinal groove H extending along the edge of bottom wall part 11 to provide a guideway for the panels or doors. At each end of longitudinal groove 19 are recesses 21, each recess of such shape as to receive projections 20 when the door is in its closed position. Instead of the recesses in the longitudinal groove being shaped to conform to and receive the projection of the door, the recess may continue through the bottom wall part 11 as shown by dotted lines 22. The latter would be desirable to save in costs of manufacturing.

In the longitudinal groove 18, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, are mounted fiat springs 23. The springs are shown mounted at one end toward the direction of the center of longitudinal groove 18 by fastening means 24 such as bolts, screws, rivets or the like. Then the flat springs curve in a direction away from the top and towards the ends of the longitudinal groove, and. finally form. an essentially flat surface parallel to the top of the longitudinal groove. Each of the springs is positioned near the end of the longitudinal grooveso as toapply pressure ontop of a panel .to force the projection of the panel to dropinto and be retained in its corresponding recesslwhene the panel is in its closed position.

Although not shownin the drawings, iti wouldv be convenient to additionally provide a longitudinal raised portion as a guide in the center of the longitudinal groovesin order .to confine each panel toitsportion of the longitudinal grooves. Also, if desired, gaskets made of material such as felt, and the like, may be attached to the longitudinal grooves in order to press. against the edges of the panels to provide a seal therefor- Inoperation, each'panel or door may slide in. the longitudinal grooves in its open or closed. position. When a panel is slid toward its closed position, the spring located in the longitudinal groove in the top wall. part engages the panel and exerts pressure thereon in a downward direction. The projection on the bottom of thepanel, upon reaching its recess in the longitudinal groove, will drop into said recess and will be pressurably retained in said recess due to the pressure exerted upon the panel by its spring. Accordingly, the panel will be automatically locked in its closed position; In order to open the panel, it is necessary to apply an upward pressure on the holding means connected to the panel to lift the panel against the force of the springso that projection of the panel is lifted out of the recess. Then the panel is moved laterally or slid in the longitudinal grooves.

Referring now to Fig. 8, there is shown additional features for holding a slide door in its closed position. This view shows a bottom wall part 25 (similar to wall part 11 in Fig. Recesses 26 extend underneath the longitudinal groove to form a projecting edge 27. Attached to the laterally spaced side wall parts are springs 28 which are located adjacent corresponding recesses. 26 substantially opposed to corresponding edge projections 27'. Springs 28' are constructed as springs 23 heretofore described, each spring having its flat portion extending downwardly toward the bottom of recesses 26-. Panels or doors to be used with wall part 25 will have projections similar in shape to recesses 26. It will be seen that when a panel or door is moved to its closed position, the force of spring 23 upon the panel or door in a downward direction will cause the door projection to move into its recess 26 against the lateral force of spring 28. Then the pressure of spring 28 will force the panel to move so that the projection of the panel will be retained under edge 27. It will be readily seen that this arrangement provides a more positive means for holding the doors or panels in their closed position. In opening the door, it will be necessary to first apply pressure on the holding means connected to a panel to move the door laterally against the pressure of its spring 28 in order that the projection of the panel will clear the projection edge 27, then it will be necessary to move the door upwardly against pressure of spring 23 to clear the door projection from its recess 26, and finally to move the door laterally to its open position. Instead of shaping recesses 26 as described, a pin may be attached to each of the recesses to perform the same function as projection edge 27, if desired.

The exact compositions, configurations, constructions, relative positionings, and cooperative relationships of the various component parts of the present invention are not critical, and can be modified substantially within the spirit of the present invention.

The embodiments of the present invention specifically described and illustrated herein are exemplary only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present. invention, which is to be interpreted in the light of the prior art and the appended claims only, with due consideration for the doctrine of equivalents;

I claim:

1. A cabinet comprising: a body member having a plurality of walls forming a cabinet chamber with a rectangular opening; a pair of vertically displaced horizontal grooves comprising guide-ways within the cabinet adjacent to the rectangular opening on the inside of vertically opposite horizontal walls. thereof, one of the horizontal guide-wayshaving a vertical. recess at. each end thereof; transparent closure panel means mounted in the horizontal guide-ways, said closure panel means comprising a pair of transparent panels slid'ably cooperable with said horizontal guide-ways to horizontally slide into open and closed position in said' horizontal guide-ways, a pair of vertically.- projecting' members, each projecting member being connected to a different one of said pair of transparent panels and being removably retainable in one of the vertical recesses of the horizontal guideway' having a vertical. recess at each end. thereof when said-panel is in itsclosed position;v a pair of springs, fixedly mounted inthe othervertically spaced horizontal guideway,. each spring being positioned to apply vertical-pressure to the adjacentedgeof the adjacent panel of the closure panel means so that its vertically projecting member will be pressurably retained in the corresponding.

vertical recess of the horizontal guide-way having. said vertical recesses at each end thereof, when said panel. is in its closed position, each of said springs being in vertically spaced substantially vertical alignment with respect tothe corresponding vertical recess and onthe vertically opposite edge of said panel therefrom; and a pair of outwardly projecting holding handles, each'holdinghandle being connected. to one of said' panels of theclosure panel means torprovide a. support for applying horizontal pressure to slide said panel to its closed. position and to slide said panel toits open. position by first vertically moving the. panel. against the biasing action of the opposing one of said springs to remove its vertically projecting member from. the corresponding vertical recess vertically aligned with said opposing. spring.

2. A cabinet comprising: a body member having a plurality of wallsforming a cabinet chamber with a rectangular openinggapair'of vertically displaced horizontalv grooves comprising guide-ways within the cabinetadjacent to the rectangular opening on the inside of vertically opposite horizontal walls thereof, one of the horizontal guide-ways having avertical recess at each end: thereof, each recess having an outwardly horizontally directed projecting edge at the juncture of the vertical recess and said. longitudinal groove: comprising said horizontal guide-way; transparent closure panel means mounted in the horizontal. guide-ways, said closure panel means comprising a pair of transparent panels slidably cooperable with said horizontal. guide-ways. to horizontally slide into open and. closed. position insaid horizontal guideways, a pair of. vertically projecting members, each projecting member being connected to a dilferent one of said pair of transparent panels and being removably' retainable in one of the vertical recesses of the horizontal guide-way having. a vertical recess at. each end thereof and' horizontally shaped to extend inwardly under the outwardly horizontally directed projecting edge of said recess when said panel is in its closed position; a pair of springs fixedly mounted in the other vertically spaced horizontal guide-way, each spring being positioned to apply vertical pressure to the adjacent edge of the adjacent panel of the closure panel means so that its vertically projecting member will. be pressurably retained in the corresponding vertical recess of. the horizontal guideway. having said vertical recesses at each end thereof when said' panel is in its closed position, each. of. said springs being in vertically spaced substantially vertical alignment with respect to. the corresponding. vertical recess and", on the vertically opposite. edge of. saidv panel therefrom; a spring laterally adjacent each recess and horizontally biasingly cooperable with the corresponding adjacent projection forcing same under the corresponding adjacent horizontally outwardly directed projection edge of the corresponding recess; and a pair of outwardly projecting holding handles, each holding handle being connected to one of said panels of the closure panel means 5 to provide a support for applying horizontal pressure to slide said panel to its closed position and to slide said panel to its open position by first vertically moving the panel against the biasing action of the opposing one of said springs to remove its vertically projecting member 10 from the corresponding vertical recess vertically aligned with said opposing spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

